Another setup I think works pretty well is thinstation http://www.thinstation.org/ It's used to boot into a really minimal version of linux that connects directly to a remote server through rdp, vnc. ssh, ect On Fri, Feb 12, 2010 at 8:33 AM, Lisa Kachold wrote: > This has been a standard technique in Unix [BSD, AIX, Solaris and > HP-UX] for diskless servers since the early days (pre-Linus). > > In linux PXE booting from servers is best supported via LTSP project: > > http://www.ltsp.org/ > http://www.kegel.com/linux/pxe.html > http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/feature/1639.html > > It is very fun, especially with older hardware and nice fast networking. > > Additional fiber channel RAID for shared disk I/O on a switched > backplane makes these systems nice and swift. > > On 2/12/10, Dazed_75 wrote: >> Turns out the two PXE servers I built do totally different things and really >> should be called PXE based Install Servers AND I can imagine a third which >> might more properly be described as a PXE Boot Server.  BTW, for those who >> do not know, PXE stands for Pre-eXecution Environment and really does let >> you boot a machine from the network.  Anyway, here are the three types I >> mentioned: >> >>    1. from https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PXEInstallMultiDistro I built a >>    server that does PXE boots from files stored entirely on the PXE server. >>    Those files came from .iso files that had been previously mounted and the >>    necessary material extracted when the server is set up.  The .iso files >> need >>    not be kept since they are not used during a PXE boot.  The booting is >>    generally into a Live environment with the option of installing. >>    2. from >> >> http://www.howtoforge.com/install-multiple-linux-distributions-via-pxe-the-easy-wayI >> built a PXE server that does PXE boots using only a few files resident >> on >>    the PXE server and retrieves most of the material from the internet EVERY >>    TIME a client uses the PXE based boot.  These all seem to boot directly >> to >>    an installer (no live environment). >>    3. I have not seen any article for this but I can imagine PXE booting >>    being used simply to boot a system where the OS and Application files >> only >>    live on the PXE server.  Configuration and user files could live locally >> or >>    on the server.  I suspect PXE is never used this way but do not know. >> >> BTW, the server I built for #2 only works for some of the distributions it >> purports to.  Both the Fedora and CentOS installs fail because the install >> procedures ask for information that the client doing the booting cannot >> provide.  Ubuntu Karmic and Mandriva seem to work fine.  The single entry >> for Karmic appears able to install all the core distributions (i.e. Ubuntu, >> Kubuntu, etc).  The Mandriva install lets you choose KDE, GNOME, or CUSTOM >> (whatever that means). >> >> It seems to me that method 1 is superior for speed and bandwidth >> considerations.  Method 2 seems better for the ability to install variations >> of configuration or distro builds.  I suspect it would be possible to do >> both in a single PXE server though it would be more work. >> >> What I would like to see for method #1 is that the .iso files were retained >> for use in burning discs either on the PXE server or a client on the net >> (not a PXE function) AND might be mounted by the PXE server function rather >> than having to extract files when building the server.  Since all three uses >> only require reading the .iso's I would think they could be shared. >> >> Opinions?  And is anyone interested in this? >> >> -- >> Dazed_75 a.k.a. Larry >> >> The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, >> that I wish it always to be kept alive. >>  - Thomas Jefferson >> > > > -- > Skype: (623)239-3392 > AT&T: (503)754-4452 > http://obnosis.110mb.com/nuke/index.php > http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Arizona > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss